Wheel support with power actuated clamping means



Nov. 21, 1950 J. F. ECKLES 2,530,572

WHEEL SUPPORT WITH POWER ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. J. EEckZ es J2 lb-Mi My Nov. 21, 1950 J, F. Ec L s 2,530,572

WHEEL SUPPORT WITH POWER ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 20, 1946 S-Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR. J F .E'ckles Nov. 21, 1950 J. F. ECKLES 2,530,572

WHEEL SUPPORT WITH POWER ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JFEckZes Patented Nov. 21, l950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE WHEEL SUPPORT WITH POWER ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Jesse F. Eckles, Porterville, Calif. Application May 20, 1946, Serial No. 671,010

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates in general to a piece of equipment adapted to facilitate the removal or mounting of motor vehicle tires of the type used on wheels having integral rims.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a wheel standard, of novel construction, arranged to positively and rigidly support a wheel at a convenient working height above the floor whereby a tire may be readily and easily removed from, or mounted on, the wheel by one person.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel supporting standard, for the purpose described, which includes clamping means operative to forcefully but releasably secure the wheel to a face plate; the clamping means being operated through the medium of a valve controlled, fluid pressure actuated power cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel-supporting standard which disposes the wheel, not only above floor for ready access, but also inra. canted position to further facilitate the operators manipulation of a tire being removed from, or mounted on, the wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel supported standard which is practical, and effective for the purposes for which itis designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the wheel supporting standard as in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, mainly in section, showing the position of the parts to permit of initial placement of a wheel against the face plate.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but shows the position of the parts with the wheel clamped against said face plate in supported relation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the forked clamping bar, detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a rigid tubular standard I fixed, at its lower end, on a base 2, which base is adapted to be fixed to the floor by screws or bolts.

At its upper end the tubular standard I fixedly supports a transversely extending cylinder 3 intermediate the ends of the latter, said cylinder being disposed at an upward incline from its rear end.

tive to vertical, 1. e. faces with its axis extending at an outward and upward incline.

A piston 5 is disposed in the cylinder-3 and is normally advanced by a compression spring I engaged between said piston 6 and the closure head 3. Advance of the piston 6 is limited to the point shown in Fig. 2 by means of a spacer sleeve 8 surrounding a piston rod 9 between said piston d and face plate 5. From the piston 5 the piston rod 9 extends through the sleeve 8, slidably through the face plate 5, and thence extends to a termination some distance beyond the latter.

A port It leads into the cylinder 3 from within the tubular standard I at a point directly ahead of the most advanced point of the piston 6. A conduit ll communicates with said port I0 and extends therefrom downwardly through the tubular standard I and out of the lower end thereof to connection with one side of valve I2 mounted on the base 2. The other side of the valve is connected with an air pressure supply conduit I3. The valve I2 is a double-acting type, i. e. of a type such that in one position of the valve, air pressure from conduit I3 feeds to conduit ll, while in the other position of the valve feed from conduit I3 is blocked and the conduit II is opened to atmosphere. A two-position foot pedal I4, pivotally mounted on the base 2, controls the valve I2. When the foot pedal I4 is depressed at the front thereof the valve I2 is shifted to said one position thereof, wherein conduit I3 is connected in communication with conduit II whereas when the foot pedal is depressed at the rear, as in Fig. 1, the valve I2 is shifted to said other position wherein conduit II is exhausted to atmosphere.

The face plate 5 is provided, adjacent the top thereof, with a radially offset, forwardly projecting pin l5 spaced from the axis of the piston rod 9 a predetermined distance. The spacing of the pin I5 from the piston rod 9 is such that said pin I5 engages through one of the wheel lug receiving holes ['6 formed in a wheel hub I! when the wheel I8 is disposed with said hub against the face plate 5, with the piston rod 9 projecting axially through the central opening I 9 of said hub H. The tire on the wheel I8 is indicated at 20.

The outer end portion of the piston rod 9 is 3 straddled by a forked, clamping bar, indicated generally at ill, the legs of said forked clamping bar being indicated at 22.

Said legs 22 are longitudinally slotted in matching relation, as at 23, and a transverse guide pin 24 on the piston rod 9 rides in said slots.

By reason of this arrangement the forked clamping bar 2! is swingable between a position in longitudinal alinement with the piston rod 9, as shown in Fig. 2, to a transverse position, as shown in Fig. 3.

At the outset the piston 6 is advanced and the clamping bar 2i is longitudinally alined with the piston rod 9, both as shown in Fig. 2. With the parts in this position the wheel I8 is placed against the face plate 5, with the pin l5 engaging in one of the holes [6 of the wheel hub 11.

With the wheel 50 disposed, the forked clamping bar 2| is swung to its lateral position, but is then disposed outwardly of the wheel hub l1, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The operator then depresses the foot pedal 14 at its forward end, opening the valve l2 to establish communication between the conduit 13 and conduit ll, resulting in delivery of pressure into the cylinder ahead of the piston 6, which causes said piston to retract against the spring I. When this occurs the piston rod 9 shifts axially inwardly, drawing the then transverse clamping bar 2 i into positive engagement with the wheel hub 11, as shown in'full lines in Fig. 3. Inthis manner the wheel i8, with the tire 2B thereon, is positively secured against the face plate 5, so that the operator may thereafter readily and easily manipulate the tire 20 for the .purpose of removing it or mounting it on the wheel; which manipulation is facilitated by the canting of the wheel, as supported on the face plate.

To remove the wheel from the device, the foot pedal 14 is shifted to the position'shown in' Fig. 1, whereupon the valve l2 opens the conduit H to atmosphere, permitting the piston 6 and connected parts to advance to starting position; the forked :clamping bar then being swung to its alined position with the piston rod 9, and the wheel I8 removed.

The clamping bar includes a central bore, as shown, beyond one end of the slots so that the outer end of the piston rod may project intosuch bore when the rod is in its longitudinal position whereby to then maintain the bar in such position. A slight outward movement of the bar relative to the rod releases said bar for movement to the described transverse position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set'forth herein.

'While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may .be resortedto as do not form a departure from a spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is aclaimedgas new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A wheel holder comprising a support, :1 cylinder, a face plate fixed to one end of the cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, means to effect 'movement of said piston, ,a piston rod on the piston and projecting through the face plate, a cross pin on the rod adjacent its outer end, a clamping block having a bore at one end to slidingly fit the outer end of the rod, the -op posite end of the block being forked, the legs of the forked :portion being longitudinally slotted, said pin projecting 'into'said slots, the slots being of a length to project beyond the *plane of the inner end of the bore whereby when the rod is projected into the bore the pin will be efiective to lock the bar and rod in axial alinement with each other.

JESSE ECKLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 656,057 Stephens Aug. 14, 1900 1,978,673 'Holford et a1. Oct. 30,1934 {043,169 Hawkinson June 2,1936 2,065,644 Bristol -Dec. 29, 1936 ,081,402 Krema :May 25, 193? 2,163,469 Raschka June-'20, 1939 2,178,101 Hatch Oct.31, 1939 

